Role guide
Fractional CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
A fractional CFO is a part-time, senior finance executive — a Chief Financial Officer who works with your company a few days a week instead of full-time. They own financial strategy: FP&A, cash flow and runway, fundraising and investor reporting, and the financial model behind your growth. Unlike a bookkeeper or controller who keep the books accurate, a fractional CFO is forward-looking — turning the numbers into decisions. Engagements typically run 5–15 hours a week, around $3,000–$15,000 per month.
How it compares
Fractional CFO vs full-time, a controller, a bookkeeper & CFO-as-a-Service
| Role | Primary focus | Commitment | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional CFO | Forward-looking financial strategy: FP&A, runway, fundraising and board reporting, part-time | Embedded, 5–15 hrs/week, ongoing | $3–15k/mo | Startups raising or scaling that need a CFO but not full-time |
| Full-time CFO | Owns and runs the entire finance org full-time | 40+ hrs/week, permanent | $250–450k+ salary + equity | Companies past ~$30–50M revenue or on a late-stage / public track |
| Controller | Owns the books — accounting, the close, compliance and reporting accuracy (backward-looking) | Full or part-time | $90–160k salary or $3–8k/mo | A company that needs accurate books, not financial strategy |
| Bookkeeper | Day-to-day transactions, reconciliations, AP/AR | Part-time / outsourced | $500–2.5k/mo | Early-stage recording of transactions |
| CFO-as-a-Service | A firm bundles bookkeeping, controller and some CFO advisory | Vendor relationship, productized | $2–10k/mo | Outsourcing the whole finance stack to one vendor |
A fractional CFO is forward-looking financial strategy. A controller and a bookkeeper keep the books accurate, a full-time CFO is the scaled-up version, and CFO-as-a-Service bundles the finance stack into one vendor.
Sorting out finance versus operations? See our fractional COO guide.
Building a startup? See our fractional CFO for startups guide.
What it costs
What a fractional CFO costs
Most fractional CFOs work on a monthly retainer of $3,000–$15,000 for 5–15 hours a week, roughly $150–$400 an hour. Entry-level or pre-Series-A engagements start around $3,000–$5,000 a month; senior CFOs running a fundraise or scaling a $5–20M ARR company run $10,000–$15,000+. That’s a fraction of a full-time CFO, who typically costs $250,000–$450,000+ in salary plus equity. You’re buying financial judgment — the model, the raise and the board narrative — not bookkeeping.
Specializations
Fractional CFO specializations
| Specialization | Focus | Primary outcomes | Best-fit company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundraising / venture | Round prep, the financial model, cap table, data room and investor reporting | A closed round and investor-ready reporting | Startups raising a seed–Series B round |
| FP&A / operational finance | Budgeting, forecasting, unit economics and KPI dashboards | A forecast and metrics the whole team runs on | Post-revenue startups professionalizing finance |
| SaaS metrics | ARR, churn, CAC/LTV, cohorts and ASC 606 revenue recognition | Clean SaaS metrics the board and investors trust | B2B SaaS at $1–20M ARR |
| Turnaround / cash | Runway extension, cash management, restructuring and scenario planning | A stabilized balance sheet and a credible plan | Companies tight on runway or restructuring |
| M&A / exit prep | Sell-side prep, due-diligence readiness, quality of earnings and transaction support | A diligence-ready company and a clean process | Companies preparing to sell or be acquired |
Match the specialization to your moment — a fundraise, an FP&A buildout, a cash crunch or an exit. Most fractional CFOs go deep in one or two of these, not all five.
Questions
Frequently asked
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